Best Neighborhoods in Bismarck, North Dakota

You can drive across Bismarck in about 10 minutes, so the exact neighborhood matters less than in a big city. Downtown is the business district and home to the State Capitol, with restaurants, pubs, microbreweries and coffee shops, and apartments and condos you can walk from. The Dakota Zoo and the North Dakota Heritage Center are close by.

Northwest Bismarck is the family pick, with hilly blocks, big homes and views of the Missouri River and the city. The extra elevation helps if the river floods. Shopping at Pinehurst Square, parks, walking and biking paths and two golf courses are nearby. South Bismarck, about 10 miles from downtown along the river, is quieter and more rural, with Sibley Nature Park and the University of Mary, but you'll drive for groceries.

Downtown

Young Professionals

Bismarck, like a lot of the “oasis” cities and towns in mountain states like North Dakota, has worked hard to create an active downtown experience for the locals. Plenty of restaurants, pubs, microbreweries and coffee joints means there are plenty of places to spend your nights in revelry. There are also plenty of condo and apartment options downtown so you can expect to live cheaply and with great walkability to your nightlife if you’re young and single or a couple and looking to head out for the evening.

NorthWest

Families

Most people will describe Bismarck as a single community which can be crossed in 10 minutes so the particular area matters less here although of course even in a smaller community there are advantages to certain neighborhoods and blocks. NorthWest Bismark has a great reputation for beautiful hilly blocks with great homes and views of the Missouri River and the city. That elevation doesn’t hurt if the Missouri floods. There is plenty of shopping in the Pinehearst Square retail area and tons of parks and walking-running-biking paths so the kiddos and grownups can play. You’re also close to two golf courses and you have your choice of solid public, Catholic and non-denominational Christian schools.